PROMOTING DEMOCRACY, DEVELOPMENT,
PEACE, AND SECURITY
Promoting democracy, human rights, and the rule of law is
vital to our long-term security?Americans are safer in a
world of democracies. We will restore America?s ability and
commitment to act as a credible force for democracy and
human rights, starting in Iraq. Torture is unacceptable?we
both share the American people?s revulsion at the incidents
at Abu Ghraib and other detention facilities. These acts
endanger the lives of our soldiers, make their mission harder
to accomplish, and contradict everything that the brave
men and women of our armed forces are fighting to
defend. We are determined to provide the leadership needed
to make sure that such behavior never occurs again.
Upholding international standards for the treatment of
prisoners advances America?s national security, the security
of our troops, and the values of our people.
Winning the peace in Iraq.
More than a year ago, President Bush stood on an aircraft
carrier under a banner that proclaimed ?mission
accomplished.? But today we know that the mission is
not accomplished, hostilities have not ended, and our
men and women in uniform stand almost alone.
We both voted to give the president the authority to
use force as a last resort to disarm Saddam. We know
that people disagree about whether America should have
gone to war in Iraq. But this much is certain?the administration
badly exaggerated its case, badly mishandled
the responsibility to secure international support, and
badly mismanaged the planning for peace. They clearly
misrepresented the connection between Saddam?s government
and al Qaeda?and stubbornly cling to their
story despite all evidence to the contrary. They did not
build a true international coalition. They disdained the
United Nations weapons inspection process and rushed
to war without exhausting diplomatic alternatives. They
did not send sufficient forces into Iraq to accomplish the
mission?ignoring the advice of military leaders. And
they simply had no plan to win the peace.
We must change course. The administration has
begun to, in fits and starts, by taking up suggestions that
many Democrats, including both of us, first made more
than a year ago. But they continue to drag their heels,
and that is unacceptable.
Our troops in Iraq have not had the clarity of mission,
the equipment, and the international support they
need and deserve. Our helicopter pilots have flown battlefield
missions without the best available anti-missile
systems. Too many of our nation?s finest troops have
died in attacks because thousands were deployed to Iraq
without the best bulletproof vests, and there is a shortage
of armored vehicles on the ground. Thousands of
National Guardsmen and reservists have been forced to
leave their families and jobs for more than a year?with
no end in sight?because this administration ignored the
pressing need for a true coalition. When we are in the
White House, that will all change.
Having gone to war, we cannot afford to fail at
peace. We must take immediate measures to prevent Iraq
from becoming a failed state that inevitably would
become a haven for terrorists and a destabilizing force in
the Middle East.
We must now forge a new policy based on what we
know and on what will be most effective. We still have
an opportunity to prevent Iraq from becoming a failed
state and a haven for global terrorists and Islamic
extremists. We can still succeed in promoting stability,
democracy, protection of minority and women?s rights,
and peace in the region if we construct and follow a realistic
path.
To accomplish this, America must do the hard work
to get the world?s major political powers to join in this
mission. We must build a real coalition of countries to
work together to achieve our mission in Iraq; the international
community shares the stakes?they should
share the political and military burdens. To do that, of
course, we must share responsibility with those nations
that answer our call, and treat them with respect. We
must lead?and we must listen. We should:
? Make the creation of a stable and secure environment
our immediate priority in Iraq in order to lay the foundation
for a sustainable democracy,
? Fully internationalize the non-Iraqi security and reconstruction
personnel in Iraq, to share the costs and
burdens, end the continuing perception of a U.S.
occupation, and help coordinate reconstruction efforts,
draft the constitution, and organize elections,
? Persuade NATO to deploy a significant portion of the
force that will be needed to secure and win the peace
in Iraq,
? Plan for Iraq?s future by working with our allies to forgive
Iraq?s multi-billion dollar debt and by supporting
the development of a new Iraqi constitution and the
political arrangements needed to protect minority rights.
We will also convene a regional conference with Iraq?s
neighbors to secure a pledge to respect Iraq?s borders
and not to interfere in its internal affairs,
? Launch a massive and accelerated training effort to build
Iraqi security forces that can provide real security for the
Iraqi people, including a major role for NATO.
Middle East peace.
We are fundamentally committed to the security of our
ally Israel and the creation of a comprehensive, just and
lasting peace between Israel and its neighbors. Our special
relationship with Israel is based on the unshakable
foundation of shared values and mutual commitment to
democracy, and we will ensure that under all circumstances
Israel retains the qualitative edge for its national
security and its right to self-defense. We believe that
Jerusalem is the capital of Israel and should remain an
undivided city accessible to people of all faiths. We will:
? Bring genuine resolve and direct personal involvement to
ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,
? Work to transform the Palestinian Authority to promote
new and responsible leadership, committed to fighting
terror and promoting democracy,
? Support the creation of a democratic Palestinian state
dedicated to living in peace and security side by side
with the Jewish State of Israel. We believe that the creation
of a Palestinian state should resolve the issue of
Palestinian refugees by allowing them to settle there,
rather than in Israel,
? Understand that it is unrealistic to expect that the outcome
of final status negotiations will be a full and complete
return to the armistice lines of 1949?and we
understand that all final status negotiations must be
mutually agreed on,
? Work to end direct and indirect financing of Palestinian
terrorist organizations and anti-Israeli propaganda in
the news media and schools.
Africa.
U.S. engagement in Africa should reflect its vital significance
to U.S. interests as well as the moral imperative to
help a continent struggling with the scourge of disease
and persistent poverty. The HIV/AIDS pandemic in
southern and eastern Africa is a massive human tragedy.
It is also a security risk of the highest order that threatens
to plunge nations into chaos. Chronic and debilitating
hunger also threatens the very survival of communities
where investment in agriculture has suffered for over a
decade. We are committed to bringing the full weight of
American leadership to bear against these challenges.
We must also work with the United Nations and
Africa?s regional organizations to address Africa?s persistent,
disproportionate share of the world?s weak, failing states
and chronic armed conflicts, and promote sustainable
economic development. We support extension of the
African Growth and Opportunity Act, which provides a
door to a brighter future for many of the continent?s
poorest countries. We will also support effective relief
efforts when there is a humanitarian crisis?particularly
at this moment in Darfur, Sudan, where genocide is
underway. And we will continue to promote policies to
support democracy, economic reform, and respect for
human rights.
Asia.
We believe that we must engage with China effectively
to secure Chinese adherence to international trade, nonproliferation,
and human rights standards. We are committed
to a ?One China? policy and will continue to support
a peaceful resolution of cross-Straits issues. We support
Taiwan?s vibrant democracy and robust economy
and will maintain America?s commitment to provide
Taiwan with defensive weapons. We must strengthen the
already strong relationship with Japan. We will actively
seek to enhance relations with our historic ally South
Korea in order to advance our collaborative efforts on
economic and security issues. We will continue to work
together with these countries to bring about the complete,
irreversible and verifiable end to North Korea?s
nuclear weapons program. We must also work with our
friends, India and Pakistan, in their efforts to resolve
longstanding differences.
Europe.
We are committed to restoring our alliances with
European countries and revitalizing the Atlantic partnership
that has been badly damaged by the Bush administration.
Throughout the 20th century, America?s most
trusted and reliable allies were the democracies of
Europe; together, the two sides of the Atlantic ensured
that democracy and free markets prevailed against all
challenges. The Bush administration has allowed the
Atlantic partnership to erode, leaving the United States
dangerously isolated from its indispensable allies. We
look forward to working together with a prosperous and
unified Europe in meeting today?s security challenges and
expanding the global economy. We also understand that
alliances involve mutual obligations; we will expect our
European allies to share the responsibility of meeting our
mutual security needs. And we will ensure that NATO
remains strong, continuing to consolidate peace in
Europe even as the alliance takes on new tasks in
Afghanistan and Iraq.
We are committed to the resumption of genuinely
active, high-level participation in the Northern Ireland
peace process. By pro-actively supporting the leaders
in Northern Ireland and the Irish and British
Governments, we will work to help achieve the full
implementation of the Good Friday Agreement, including
the restoration of the Assembly, the assurance of the
permanence of the democratic institutions, the demilitarization
of Northern Ireland, an end to all paramilitarism,
progress on equality and human rights, and a
police service that fairly represents and is widely supported
by the people of Northern Ireland. We support
giving undocumented workers who have lived and
worked here for five years, who pay taxes, and who are
successfully screened for security purposes, a path to citizenship.
We are also aware of the deportee cases and
will take a fresh look at them.
Latin America and the Caribbean.
We believe that it is time to create a new Community of
the Americas that reflects our close relationship with our
regional neighbors. We will return U.S.-Latin American
relations to a place marked by dialogue, consensus, and
concerted action to address common concerns. We
understand that our collective security and prosperity are
furthered by mutual efforts to promote democracy, generate
wealth, reduce income disparities, and provide
sound environmental stewardship. We are committed to
strong and steady support for democratic processes and
institutions in our hemisphere, and believe that we
should exercise our considerable diplomatic and moral
force in support of democratically elected leaders. We
will make relations with Mexico a priority in order to
best address economic, environmental, and social issues
of concern.
We will increase efforts to combat drug-trafficking
throughout the Caribbean and assist in combating corruption
so that funds made available for development
are used appropriately. We will support economic development
to increase employment and economic opportunity,
reducing incentives for emigration by dangerous
and life-threatening means.
We support effective and peaceful strategies to end
the Castro regime as soon as possible and enable the
Cuban people to take their rightful place in the democratic
Community of the Americas. We will work with
the international community to increase political and
diplomatic pressure on the Castro regime to release all
political prisoners, support civil society, promote the
important work of Cuban dissidents, and begin a process
of genuine political reform. We support a policy of principled
travel to Cuba that promotes family unity and
people-to-people contacts through educational and cultural
exchanges.
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